Tag Archives: Easy Action Records

Hailing from the beautiful Cornish county town of Truro, Hypophora has been picking up attention and praise since emerging in 2012 and especially over the past couple of years as they earned a reputation for being one dynamic live proposition. Now the British quartet is tapping on national awareness with their new double A-sided single Youth / Caught.

Taking inspiration from various Seattle grunge/early 2000s post-hardcore bands, Hypophora create a punk infused alternative rock roar just as ripe with melodic invention and funk bred infection. As suggested its anthemic potency has helped see the band a notable prospect and export from the UK’s south western tip. Live the band has shared stages with the likes of LTNT, Allusondrugs, The Hyena Kill, and Narcs among many. Ahead of a UK tour, Hypophora are laying down a strong invitation with their new Easy Action Records released single, a proposal which reveals a potential which demands it is taken notice of.

Youth instantly engages with hardy beats and a senses grasping web of grooves. Cast by Karum Cooper, they wind around ears with melodic suggestiveness growing a funky nature as the growling bassline of Lewis Pilcher and the swinging rhythms of drummer Jim Richardson collude with the vocals of Katie McConnell. She has an expressiveness and emotion to her voice, backed in strength by Cooper, which pulls you into the song where the band shows their imaginative enterprise. The track does not exactly leap out from the speakers but rather creeps up on the appetite for a lingering tempting that incites a need for closer involvement.

The same applies to Caught, a similarly restrained roar which rumbles and blossoms with a tempestuousness which unites perfectly with the evocative melodies and vocal passion shaping the magnetic encounter. It continues to ebb and flow with intensity throughout, darker rhythmic hues flirting with ears and the catchy character of an increasingly captivating track.

The single is the introduction of Hypophora to a wider audience which may not explode into view but creates an intrigue which only leads to a want to further explore the inescapable promise and swiftly enjoyable sound of the rising four-piece.

Creating a sound somewhere between punk, garage, and indie rock, The Velvet Hands has begun to stir up a bit of a fuss around their emergence on the British rock scene. The release of new single Trains can only add to the Cornish band’s attention luring success, its two tracks of highly flavoursome sound and temptation something to easily get a taste for.

The Velvet Hands is the creation of Toby Mitchell and Dan Able, a pair who began writing and playing together in 2014. Inspired by the likes of The Stones, Strokes, Beatles, Stone Roses, and The Clash, the band quickly drew eager ears and attention from fans and media their way with a live presences which has seen them share stages with the likes of Wild Smiles, Lost Dawn, Saturday Sun, and The Bluetones over time as well as make a handful of successful festivals appearances. The first pair of singles from the band, Games/Who Cares last October and Habit this past March, stirred keen praise and support into action which Trains can only stoke up again for Mitchell and Able with Louis Willbourne and Sean Nichols alongside.

Released on 7″ white vinyl for Record Store Day through Easy Action Records, Trains opens on a swiftly potent and virulent bassline which quickly entices melodically spicy guitar and crisp beats to come and play with ears too. It is a great blend of raw pop and stylish enterprise matched by similarly textured vocals and harmonies. The band has been suggested as being “in the grand tradition of great British bands like The Libertines and The Buzzcocks” in the past and both of those bands do come to mind a touch throughout the song; the first in its vocals and unfussy character with the latter through the nagging hooks and swinging infectiousness shaping the song.

Accompanying the track is Curtains Close, a delicious seducing crafted with surf scented melodies, acoustic enchantment, and vocal expression. Though a more relaxed character than its predecessor, the song is just as addictively catchy and beguiling; to be honest it was our favourite out of two highly enjoyable encounters.

Trains shows why people are crowding round the emergence of The Velvet Hands whilst equally pushing the band’s reputation on again to suggest this is definitely someone to keep a close ear on!

Trains is out now as a limited edition (300) white vinyl 7″ single through Easy Action Records in all good independent record stores with a digital release following April 29th.

The RingMaster Review

The RingMaster

Music writer/reviewer and band/release promo/bio writer.
Artists previously worked with include: In Vain, The Capsules, Solar Halos, Seneron, Crashgate, Able Archer, Machine Rox, Fahran, Centre Excuse, Evanstar, and many more as well as FRUK and Pluggin' Baby.

For promotional features, bios, specific written work and more, get in contact at ringmasterreview@live.co.uk for prices and info.

Presenter of The Bone Orchard and RingMaster Review podcasts promoting the best underground bands and sounds from metal to rock, punk to noise and more; continually presenting the cream of new independent releases across all genres.

Dark poet at The Carnivale of Dark Words and Shadows http://carnivaleofdarkwordsandshadows.webs.com

Disclaimer:

By using and viewing this website you agree to The RingMaster Review terms and conditions. All written and visual content on this site is protected by copyright. You may not reproduce any of this content online or in print without obtaining written permission.